The Progress of Man from Advanced Commentary to Sophomoric Opinion

March 12, 2007

Converting Buddhists

There's one corner in my part of town where one can almost always encounter a Christian missionary group, raising funds to convert people in some non-Christian place to their faith. They stand on the street corner with a coffee can (containing the image of Christ), and beg for donations. Help us help the heathens. We need to save them.

This is one major reason why I'm not a Christian. Long before I ever thought to look into Buddhism, I rejected this about Christianity. Unfortunately, nothing has changed.

Have a look at this post, over at Buddhist Jihad last week (as always, he's nailed it):

"On the other hand, their tract contains forehead-slappers such as advising converters to use stories rather than logic when speaking to Buddhists (racist? infantilizing? both?), and to avoid mentioning that animal slaughter is AOK because it might upset a Buddhist (concealing the truth? isn't that like, um, a lie?), and using lists like the 10 commandments because Buddhists are into lists (then follows three examples of Buddhist lists that are translated into such totally incomprehensible English that I have no clue what lists they were talking about. which may explain why they don't get it -- if this is the level of teaching they're exposed to)."

Couldn't be more on-the-money, in my opinion. It's almost as if these people are convinced that we Buddhists are just sitting around, wishing someone like them would come into our lives, dragging behind them a real religion. We're obviously not happy with the one we have.

Next time someone panhandles for money to go convert the Thai people to Christianity, ask them if they're really hardcore about converting people. If they are, suggest a mission to Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.